


What Are Friends For?

by orphan_account



Series: Webs of Love [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-17
Updated: 2015-11-17
Packaged: 2018-05-02 03:56:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5233103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bokuto decides to take a year off from University and moves closer to Akaashi to make sure he's alright.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Are Friends For?

**Author's Note:**

> There was supposed to be some semblance of order to these oneshots but fuck it, I finished this one first. I'll rearrange the series once it's all done.

It takes a while, but Bokuto finally manages to land a job in Sapporo, Hokkaido a few blocks away from where he lives. Soon, he’ll have enough savings to live comfortably on and will also be able to pay back the money he owes his parents, who’d loaned him money for his apartment.

He moves from Tokyo to Sapporo on an innocuous Tuesday and is properly settled in by Wednesday evening. It’s definitely colder here than what he’s used to and the reason why unpacking his things takes so long is because he spends most of the day underneath the kotatsu, which he can easily envision himself staying under all the time. It’s definitely not because he owns too much stuff. If not for the fact that this apartment was already furnished, it would be almost completely empty.

Just as he’s about to wrap a scarf around his neck, on his way out to get some takeout, his phone chimes.

**From: (Hinata)**

Have you settled in yet??? Send me pictures of your new apartment!!!

**To: (Hinata)**

_Will do!! Just gonna get some food, then I’ll send heaps of pictures!!_

**From: (Hinata)**

_Okay!!!_

Smiling, Bokuto stuffs his phone back in his pocket and leaves his apartment.

He opts for some ramen noodles and buys two cartons of it to go. The shop owner seems a little perplexed at his request, as if no one ever really asks for his noodles to be put in takeaway trays and not eaten at the shop, and from all the busy tables his assumption is probably correct, but he gets what he wants and that’s all that matters.

On his way out of the shop, he pulls out his phone and searches through his text history with Akaashi and finds his address.

It’s still so weird, being able to have text conversations again. They’d stopped after Akaashi’s parents put strict regulations on his phone use, settling to have conversations at school instead where nobody was listening in. Even though the only text thread Akaashi had to delete was Kageyama’s, Akaashi’s parents still checked every single thread and would punish him if he said something they didn’t like.

Bokuto’s still furious about what happened to Akaashi, as well as being unable to do anything to protect his friend. Back then, he and Akaashi had agreed that there was probably nothing they could’ve done, but now he wishes that he tried. That he searched for a way to help, instead of giving up.

He’s determined to do things right this time. That’s why he’s here.

Akaashi answers the door on the third knock. He blinks up at Bokuto, as if he can’t believe what he’s seeing.

“Bokuto?” he asks, his voice barely more than a whisper, a rasp in his throat. “What’re you doing here? You’re supposed to be back in Tokyo.”

“The longer I stayed there without you, the more wrong that place seemed to get,” replies Bokuto, shrugging. He cracks a cheeky smile. “Are you gonna let me in or am I gonna freeze on your doorstep?”

Akaashi blinks, coming back to himself. He steps aside and opens the door wider, permitting Bokuto entry. “Sorry. It’s not that I’m not happy to see you, it’s just—I thought you were taking over the family business after university?”

“I’m only young,” says Bokuto, “and my father’s a long way off dead. Could keep the business afloat for twenty more years by himself. Besides, there were more important things I needed to take care of.”

“Oh yeah?” Akaashi asks. “What’s that?”

“You.” Bokuto finds the kitchen quick enough and starts searching the drawers and cupboards for utensils. “I didn’t like the idea of letting you come down here on your own. Kageyama agreed with me.”

“Y-you spoke to Tobio?” Akaashi opens the drawer nearest to him and pulls out a pair of chopsticks, handing them to Bokuto. “What did he say?”

Bokuto shrugs. “Nothing much. I just told him I was taking the year off to come down here and live for a while, be closer to you, make sure you’re alright. He said if it can’t be him for now, he’s glad it’s me.”

“He’s studying really hard,” says Akaashi in a low voice, staring down at his feet. “I don’t think he’s getting enough sleep. Last time I talked to him over the phone was two days ago, and he could hardly stop yawning.”

“Well you did pick a university that’s hard to get into,” says Bokuto. “The sports program is good, so that kinda makes up for it, I guess. Hinata says he’s just about falling asleep everywhere. According to Hinata, he has Tsukishima and their manager, that blonde girl called Yachi, helping him study as much as possible.”

“I know,” says Akaashi. “I wish I could tell him he doesn’t have to go through all that effort for me.”

“Probably best that you don’t.” Bokuto hands a carton of ramen noodles over to Akaashi, who blinks in shock but accepts it. He doesn’t pull out another pair of chopsticks, contented to hold the box to warm his hands. “You two hardly ever got to see each other since you started dating two years ago—”

“It’s already been two years, has it? Huh …”

“Time flies, doesn’t it? But anyway—Kageyama’s doing all that studying so he can come up here and join you. Don’t you want to see him on a regular basis? Maybe even … live with him?”

“Of course I do! What a stupid question.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Akaashi bites his lip, then spins around to retrieve another pair of chopsticks. “I want him to be able to enjoy his last year at Karasuno. That place changed him for the better. He was telling me about it not too long ago. He’s not gonna be able to go back, so I don’t want him to waste his last year there.”

“Just because he’s studying all the time and seems tired over the phone doesn’t mean he’s not enjoying himself. If any of it was becoming a problem, Hinata would put a stop to it.” Bokuto takes a bite of ramen and rolls his eyes in pleasure, humming. He’d thought there might not be good ramen shops in Sapporo, but he was very, very wrong.

“I know.” Akaashi starts eating as well. He jerks his head back at the living room, and then heads for the sofa. Bokuto follows. “This doesn’t explain why you’re here though. You hate the cold, and Hokkaido rarely ever gets hot, even in the summer.”

“I just wanted to be nearer to you. You know, to make sure you’re alright.”

Akaashi rolls his eyes. “I’m fine, Bokuto. Nothing to worry about.”

“You say that, but I don’t believe it. After everything you went through, there’s no way you’re completely fine. I moved here to make sure you have someone close by if you need them. I have a job and an apartment of my own, so before you ask, I’m not going to be crashing here for an entire year,” he adds quickly.

“I appreciate the concern, but—”

“No buts. Nothing you say will convince me to leave. But if you don’t need me for emotional support, can’t you just be happy I’m nearby so we can hang out like we used to?” Bokuto asks, nudging Akaashi in the side. “Maybe I’m wrong and you are a hundred percent fine, so why not kick each other’s asses as Mario Kart again? Or go throw a volleyball around at the park? It won’t hurt. I’m determined to be here for you in any way you need me to be.”

Akaashi exhales loudly, his shoulders dropping. When Bokuto glances at him out of the corner of his eyes, he’s pleased to see Akaashi’s smiling.

“Thank you,” says Akaashi. “Not just for this, but for everything. I’m incredibly lucky.”

Bokuto grins. “What are friends for?”

There’s no gaming system in the house in which to play Mario Kart and kick each other’s asses on—something Akaashi promises to rectify as soon as possible—and neither of them have the energy to go outside and toss around a volleyball.

For the next few hours, they eat their ramen slowly and watch trash television, and Bokuto’s glad he’s come. After all, Akaashi might not need him for emotional support, but he needs him to be his best friend. Bokuto’s played that part for years and he can sink back into the role with ease.

Akaashi falls asleep on Bokuto’s shoulder in the early afternoon. Bokuto lets him stay there, and continues watching television in silence, lowering the volume so its little more than background noise.

By late afternoon, Akaashi wakes from his nap, apologising profusely. He offers to cook dinner for them both, but Bokuto waves him off and says he better get back home because he promised Hinata pictures of his apartment.

“But you should come around sometime,” says Bokuto. “I’ll text you the address.”

Akaashi smiles. “I’d be happy to—don’t forget your scarf, dumbass. You left it in the hall.”

Bokuto throws his head back and laughs. “You’re starting to sound a lot like Kageyama now, you know that?”

“He’s been rubbing off on me, yes.” Akaashi smirks. “In more ways than one.”

“Eugh, too much information!” Bokuto slaps his hands over his ears. “How will I live knowing that information? So gross!”

“Don’t act like you don’t want Hinata rubbing off on you,” says Akaashi. “You two seem to get closer every time I talk to you.”

“Hinata’s a good friend,” says Bokuto. “Nothing more.”

“Yeah, that’s what I used to say about Kageyama, too. Now look where we are.”

“Whatever. Anyway! I’ll see you later, alright?” Bokuto grabs his scarf as he slides into his shoes, making a show of wrapping it around his neck.

“Yeah, definitely. See you later, Bokuto.” Akaashi waves goodbye to Bokuto, seconds before the door shuts behind him.

**Author's Note:**

> [Come follow me on Tumblr!](http://beaunaratau.tumblr.com/)


End file.
